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Operation: Hamburg
Date: 28/29th July 1942 (Tuesday/Wednesday)
Unit: No. 1651 Heavy Conversion Unit. 3 Group
Type: Stirling I
Serial: N3655
Code: BS-T
Base: RAF Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire
Location: Oslebshausen, Bremen
Pilot: P/O. George Corbett Bayley DFC. 113343 RAFVR Age 23. Killed (1)
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Gordon William John Lovell 655547 RAFVR Age 25. Killed
Nav: Sgt. George Alder 568297 RAF Age 22. Killed
Air/Bmr: Sgt. Kenneth Stuart Spencer NZ/41552 RNZAF Age 31. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Edwin Campbell Glenwright DFM. 552875 RAF Age 20. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Norman Robert Kilpatrick NZ/405492 RNZAF Age 25. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Charles Easton Wells NZ/411112 RNZAF Age 28. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Takeoff at 23:30 hrs for an operation to Hamburg.
Homeward-bound, the aircraft was hit by 1./3. schwere Flak Abteilungen and crashed at location shown on the east bank of the river Wesser 02:45 hrs.
256 aircraft taking part on this operation, was to have been a much larger raid but bad weather in the north of England prevented many Squadrons taking part. 91 aircraft from various OTU's made up this number. Further bad weather en route many aircraft were recalled, the rest becoming scattered. Only 68 bombed the target but a hospital was hit. Heavy aircraft losses
1651 HCU lost 4 aircraft on this operation. The others:
Stirling I N6069 BS-G Flown by 27 year old, P/O. John Dunlop Mcgregor NZ/403465 RNZAF from Auckland, New Zealand. All 8 crew missing believed killed when shot down by Oblt. Ludwig Becker of 6./NJG2 at 00:48 hrs, the aircraft crashed into the sea 30 km. north of Terschelling
Stirling I N6102 BS-B Flown by 22 year old, Fl/Lt. Dennis Arthur Parkins DFC. 102961 RAFVR from Hardwick, Buckinghamshire. All 8 crew missing believed killed when also shot down by Oblt. Ludwig Becker of 6./NJG2 at 01:27 hrs, crashed in the same area as N6069.
Stirling I N7509 BS-Q Flown by P/O. Verle Marshall Smith 112306 RAFVR. Killed with 1 other crew member, 5 taken PoW when shot down by Oblt. Hans von Hagenow of 7./NJG1 at 03:10 hrs, crashing at Heelsum near Arnhem.
33 Aircrew from New Zealand were killed this night - making it the highest number in any single day/night operation either in peace or war.
(1) DFC Citation L/G. January 23rd, 1942:
'During the past month, P/O. Bayley and F/O. Arthur George MacLeod (2), as pilot and navigator respectively, have carried out several attacks on the enemy warships Gneisenau and Scharnhorst at Brest. Despite arduous conditions and fierce opposing fire from enemy defences, the flights have been successfully accomplished although on the last 3 occasions P/O. Bayley's aircraft has been damaged by enemy action. Throughout these missions, which have entailed a high degree of navigational skill and expert knowledge, F/O. MacLeod has fulfilled his duties with conspicuous success. P/O. Bayley and F/O. MacLeod have always displayed great courage, skill and determination throughout the many sorties in which they have taken part'.
(2) 36 year old, Fl/Lt. Arthur George MacLeod DFC. 81062 RAFVR from Hamilton, Lanarkshire, lost his life on the 20th October 1943 whilst with 7 squadron. Flying on Lancaster III JA907 MG-U when shot down by Only. Hans-Heinz Augenstein of 9./NJG1 at 22:24 hrs crashing at Oudleusen, ENE of Zwolle, Holland. Buried at Dalfsen General Cemetery in Holland.
Burial details:
Initially buried at the Bremen Walner Cemetery but reinterred after the end of the war.
P/O. George Corbett Bayley DFC. Becklingen War Cemetery. Grave 26.J.3. Son of Herbert Bell Bayley and Nancy Bayley. Grave inscription: 'At The Going Down Of The Sun And In The Morning We Will Remember Them'.
Sgt. Gordon William John Lovell. Becklingen War Cemetery. Grave 12.A.1. Son of Percy and Dorothy A. Lovell, of Upwey, Dorsetshire, England. Grave inscription: 'In Proud Loving Memory Of Our Dear Gordon. Dad, Mother, Ossie, Joan And Nonie'.
Sgt. George Alder. Becklingen War Cemetery. Grave 26.J.2. Son of Robert Rankin (died 27th September 1990, age 83) and Marion Gilchrist Alder (née Mckechnie - died 09th September 1975, age 92), of McLure, British Columbia, Canada.
Sgt. Kenneth Stuart Spencer. Becklingen War Cemetery. Grave 26.J.7. Born on the 21st November 1911 at Martinborough. Worked as an exchange clerk for P an T Department at Upper Hut prior to service. Enlisted at Levin on the 19th January 1941. Enlisted at Levin on the 21st December 1941. Embarked for Canada on the 26th May 1941. Air gunners badge awarded on the 25th October 1941 and promoted to sergeant.
Embarked for England on the 13th December 194 1. Attached to 11 Operational Training Unit on the 03rd March 1942. Joined 1651 Heavy Conversion Unit on the 02nd July 1942. Son of Stuart and Augusta Louise Spencer (née Croft), of Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand. A Total of 263 flying hours logged and on his 2nd operational sortie.
Fl/Sgt. Edwin Campbell Glenwright DFM. Becklingen War Cemetery. Grave 26.J.1. Son of Mr. and Mrs. George Edwin Glenwright and husband of Mary Glenwright, of Victoria, London, England. Grave inscription: 'Out Of The Stress Of The Doing, Into The Peace Of The Done, Beloved'.
Sgt. Norman Robert Kilpatrick. Becklingen War Cemetery. Grave 26.J.5. Born on the 23rd January 1917 at Inglewood. Worked as a farmhand for G.F Knucky prior to service. Enlisted at Levin on the 21st December 1941. Embarked for Canada on the 27th March 1941. Air gunners badge awarded on the 22nd September 1941 and promoted to sergeant.
Embarked for England on the 01st January 1942. Attached to 11 Operational Training Unit on the 03rd March 1942. Joined 1651 Heavy Conversion Unit on the 02nd July 1942. Son of Robert Kilpatrick and Norah Kilpatrick (née Roberts), of New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand. A Total of 78 flying hours logged and on his 2nd operational sortie.
Sgt. Charles Easton Wells. Becklingen War Cemetery. Grave 26.J.6. Born on the 29th June 1914 at Feilding. Worked as a self employed grocer prior to service. Enlisted at Levin on the 16th February 1941. Embarked for Canada on the 27th March 1941. Air gunners badge awarded on the 29th September 1941 and promoted to sergeant.
Embarked for England on the 23rd October 1941. Attached to 11 Operational Training Unit on the 03rd March 1942. Attached to 20 Operational Training Unit in June/July 1942 for air bomber course. Joined 1651 Heavy Conversion Unit on the 02nd July 1942. Son of George and Ada Rose Wells (née Smith), of Feilding, Wellington, New Zealand. A Total of 124 flying hours logged and on his 2nd operational sortie. His brother 23 year old, Sgt. George Wells NZ/391886 RNZAF was also killed. On an operation to Hannover on the 25/26th July 1941 on Whitley V Z6624 ZA-O - with all the 5 other crew.
Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Dr. Theo Boite - Nachtjagd Combat Archives', Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand, Kracker Archive, other sources as quoted below:
KTY 03-12-2021
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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